It's a pretty standard practice in the video game industry to try and time releases so as to not compete with other big sellers. Just as with movies, competition typically hurts more than it helps, as players can't really be expected to drop nearly $200 on all of the best-looking games at once. It's this fact that makes October so unusual; Super Mario Odyssey, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, and Assassin's Creed Origins are all set to arrive tomorrow, while Destiny 2, The Evil Within 2, and Middle-earth: Shadow of War launched earlier this month.
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To make things easier for those still struggling to make a decision, we've summarized all of the key details of each of tomorrow's releases below. Check it out:
Assassin's Creed Origins
Assassin's Creed Origins would be special if for no other reason than that it's the first installment of Ubisoft's flagship series in two years. The studio originally announced back in 2015 that it would be "taking a break" to evolve the game mechanics and offer a more unique experience beyond what yearly releases could offer. As a result, Origins features a handful of changes that differ from what the series has previously provided.
For starters, weapons can now be fully upgraded in a style similar to traditional RPGs, just as the protagonist, Bayek, can now be leveled up to acquire new traits and abilities for the player to utilize in their adventures. The combat system has undergone quite the overhaul, as well. It's no longer simply a matter of counter, attack, and kill; there's now genuine difficulty to the experience that prevents the player from taking on impossible odds at leisure.
RELATED: New developer interview yields insight into Assassin's Creed: Origins
As for the story: Origins takes place within the realm of Egypt, in which players take on the role of the first ever Assassin as he attempts to overthrow a tyrannical government and free his people. Sailing makes a return as well, as do the traditional Assassin's Creed features of crafting new weapons and armor.
Assassin's Creed Origins launches for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC tomorrow for $59.99. For more information, check out the original launch trailer below:
Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
Wolfenstein: The New Order ended with William J. Blazkowicz in a bit of a tough spot. Mortally wounded following the death of the adversarial Willhelm "Deathshead" Strasse, our hero had little else to do but close his eyes and wait for his allies' bombs to drop. Yet, somehow, BJ managed to inexplicably survive the encounter, only to wake up aboard an enemy ship an undisclosed amount of time later.
Thus begins Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, in which BJ Blazkowicz will return to a German-occupied America. From previous trailers we've seen that his adventures take him everywhere from the streets of New York to the city of New Orleans, which has been turned into a massive ghetto following the Nazi conquest. In order to restore his homeland to its former glory, BJ will have to find and team up with allies new and old before encountering (and hopefully putting an end to) the vengeful Frau Engel.
RELATED: New Wolfenstein 2 trailer journeys through post-Nazi New Orleans
New mechanics in The New Colossus include the ability to duel-wield different weapons in each hand, grapple with enemy Nazis with a number of effective melee weapons, and utilize three contraptions that enhance BJ's body to let him accomplish a variety of inhuman tasks - such as ramming through weakened walls, gain increased height, and even shrink down to fit into tight spots like pipes or ventilation shafts.
Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus launches tomorrow for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and, sometime later, the Nintendo Switch for $59.99. If you haven't seen it already, check out the announcement trailer from earlier this year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyOkaHBfdjo
Super Mario Odyssey
As one of the most iconic video game characters of all time, Mario's mere presence in a game is enough advertising on its own. Of course, it helps that Odyssey is shaping up to be a pretty impressive title; it's the first in the series to be completely open world, and while the ability to control and manipulate enemies by throwing Mario's hat at them is kind of a head-scratcher when read on paper, the actual mechanic seems to allow for a relatively fun and unique experience.
The story itself isn't particularly innovative; Princess Peach has once again been taken captive by the antagonistic Bowser, and only with the help of Mario's new friend, a sentient hat called Cappy, can he hope to rescue her from the villain's clutches. This adventure will take the player all over the world, from the streets of New Donk City to the cold dunes of Bonneton.
RELATED: Nintendo reveals new features in abundance for Super Mario Odyssey
Other new features include "Crazy Cap," a special vendor found throughout the world from which players can purchase any number of thematic outfits, the well-documented ability to hurl Cappy at enemies to control, and the snapshot feature, which allows for players to take and doctor screenshots of Mario's adventures.
Super Mario Odyssey arrives for the Nintendo Switch tomorrow for $59.99. Check out the following bit from Nintendo Direct for a more in-depth summary of the above features:
